Thursday, August 29, 2013

Worldwide Alumni Launch Events for The HNC–Project Pengyou Pilot

By attending the Hopkins-Nanjing Center, you will join a community of over 2,400 alumni all over the world.  In order to foster community development, the HNC is working with ProjectPengyou.org to pilot new online tools for our alumni.

Project Pengyou was conceived as the alumni network of the 100,000 Strong Initiative and is building a global online community of leaders connecting China and the U.S. Watch a video about the pilot partnership between HNC and Project Pengyou here. (Click here to view on Youku).

Over the next two months, The Hopkins–Nanjing Center will be hosting events for our alumni around the world to celebrate The HNCProject Pengyou PilotThe first launch event in Shanghai will feature current and former HNC co-directors Jason PatentElizabeth Knup, and Robert Daly coming together to discuss the past, present and future of our bilingual, bicultural community.  Other distinguished guests will include Holly Chang, President of The Golden Bridges Foundation, and Travis Tanner (HNC '02), Senior Vice President and COO of The 100,000 Strong Foundation.

Additional launch events will take place in cities throughout Asia and North America, beginning with Washington, D.C.

 
To all of our incoming students, we encourage you to go online and become a Pengyou today!

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

HNC Session at SAIS Orientation- This Thursday!

To all incoming SAIS MA students in Washington: are you interested in complementing your studies at SAIS with a year in the certificate program at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center?  The HNC admission office will be holding a session this Thursday at 3:30pm as part of the SAIS DC orientation program.  Come to Rome 534 to learn about the application process and how you can spend your second year in Nanjing before returning to DC for a final semester.  Find out more about the Five-Semester Option between SAIS and the Hopkins-Nanjing Center here.

Friday, August 23, 2013

Culinary Map of Nanjing

Drue Banta, a recent graduate of the Center’s M.A.I.S. program, compiled a very comprehensive list of some of the best restaurants in Nanjing. If you’re headed to Nanjing as an incoming Hopkins-Nanjing Center student (or even if you’re just passing through), be sure to add these to your culinary bucket list!



东北菜馆 - 鼓楼四条巷(近南大西北门)
A homey mom-and-pop shop, this restaurant offers a solid array of affordable Dongbei dishes.

海底劳火锅
海底劳火锅 - 龙园西路58号黄河大夏2C区(近龙江金润发)
If you haven’t tried this top-quality hot pot establishment, you haven’t truly experienced China. Save it for special occasions such as birthdays/graduation parties or not, you will never regret spending extra for the world’s best service and kungfu noodle dances.

阿拉丁新疆风味餐厅 - 汉中路罗廊巷43
If you like Xinjiang food but don’t fancy the lengthy commute out to Western China, this restaurant offers terrific lamb and naan dishes as well as homemade yogurt that will keep you coming back for more.


HNC alum David Martinez with lotus root fries
云南美食坊 - 宁海路122号南京师范大学随园校区
The lotus root fries and mashed potatoes will knock your socks off, as will the rest of the authentic Yunnan menu.

越南餐厅汉中门萍聚村7101
The fresh vegetables and authentic Vietnamese fried pork dishes are as amazing as the prices – the perfect meal for an adventurous HNCer on a budget.

麻辣盛艳 - 狮子桥9号天狮百盛大酒店附近
If you like complete customization of your dining experience or just want an excuse to check out the Lion’s Bridge walking street, definitely hit up this cool modern Chinese restaurant.
老妈牛肉拉面


老妈牛肉拉面 - 上海路1544106  
An HNC student classic, this restaurant offers all the usual cheap Lanzhou dishes and the owners are always fun to chat with.

Valentina’s – 广州路162
This newly opened Mexican restaurant is a must visit and one of the most unique venues in Nanjing and all of China! Not only are the dishes 100% halal, affordable, AND delicious, but the owner is one of HNC’s very own – Ms. Judith Ordaz!

Friends – 汉口路陶谷新村4-2
Bring your books or laptop to this café and enjoy the good food and drinks and hospitality – you won’t be disappointed.

Lotus – 上海路209
A good counterpoint to the more famous Skyways bakery across the street, Lotus is definitely up-and-coming with its desserts and drinks, as well as its unique sandwich and pizza offerings.

Pisa Pizza – 上海路81-8
Pisa Pizza
What did we do in Nanjing before this amazing Nanjing chef came back from touring the Mediterranean with his new pizza recipes? The pizzas and calzones are also available for delivery for no extra charge.

Behind the Wall – 上海路150
Come for the chimichangas, stay for the strawberry mojitos and sangria accompanied by live classical Spanish guitar.

MoMentum – 上海路209
If you’re craving something crazy tasty like a turkey and cranberry sauce wrap or a Philly cheesesteak sandwich with onion rings and a fruit or Oreo smoothie, this place will definitely surpass your expectations and keep your taste buds happy for however long you’re in Nanjing.

Taj Mahal – 上海路189
If you like well-priced Northern Indian food, this is the place for you. Run by friendly Nepalese, check out their awesome lunch combos or bring some friends and share an endless variety of curry dishes for dinner.

Jimmy’s Bar  石鼓路193号石鼓湾美食街新乐园内
This staple of the Nanjing expat community offers solid deals on tasty American food and drinks and always hosts a lively crowd – especially on weekly trivia nights.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Announcing a New Concentration at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center!

For those applying to the Hopkins-Nanjing Center this winter, there will be even more academic opportunities to pursue during your time in Nanjing.  We are excited to announce the addition of a new concentration at the HNC beginning in fall 2014: Energy, Resources, and Environment (ERE).

ERE is already one of the most popular concentrations at SAIS in Washington, and is an increasingly complex topic in China.  By studying ERE at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center, students can examine China’s environmental issues firsthand, while learning skills that can be applied to careers globally.

While only MAIS students formally select a concentration, Certificate students will also have the opportunity to enroll in all available ERE courses.  Students attending the HNC for this upcoming academic year will have the option to take a limited number of ERE-related classes, before the new concentration officially launches in fall 2014.

In addition to ERE, there are four other concentrations available at the HNC: International Politics, International Economics, International and Comparative Law, and Chinese Studies.

Our recently printed brochures reflect this new addition.  If you would like a digital or hard copy of the new brochure, please email nanjing@jhu.edu. 

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Today's Online Chat Transcript

Did you miss today's online admissions chat?  Read a transcript of the conversation between your fellow applicants and admissions representatives Katie Brooks and Lauren Szymanski by clicking on the tab above.  If you have any questions after reviewing this page, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

HNC Online Admissions Chat This Thursday!



The first online chat of the admissions cycle will take place this Thursday, August 15 from 10:00AM to 12:00PM ESTChatting with us will be admissions representatives Katie Brooks (HNC '09) and Lauren Szymanski (HNC '12).  Join us to hear alumni and admissions staff share firsthand experience and valuable advice, and be sure to bring any questions you may have about the application process, academics, or student life.  At the scheduled time, click here to join the chat and sign in as a guest.  We look forward to speaking with you! 

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Five-Semester Option Experience: China and Latin America Internship


Five-Semester Option student Margaux Fimbres is currently hard at work sharpening her economics skills at Pre-Term, but over the summer she utilized her Chinese and Spanish skills by interning at the Inter-American Dialogue in downtown Washington, DC.  She reports back on her research:

"Over the summer, I worked as an intern at the Inter-American Dialogue, a think tank in Washington, D.C. committed to policy analysis and communication on issues in Western Hemisphere affairs. As a Five-Semester Option student (HNC Certificate ’11, SAIS M.A. ’14), I really wanted to explore my interest in Sino-Latin American relations and the Inter-American Dialogue’s China and Latin America program was the perfect place to learn more about this evolving relationship.

Margaux, left, with IAD president Michael Shifter and summer interns
Over the course of my internship, I researched the proposed canal project in Nicaragua and the Hong Kong-based company that won the concession to plan and build the canal (which, if completed, will be bigger than the Panama Canal). Interns also had the opportunity to attend a writing workshop to learn the craft of writing summaries and blog posts after an Inter-American Dialogue-sponsored event. All staff and interns speak Spanish and we developed a 'Spanish Tuesday' and 'Spanish Thursday' practice to hone our linguistic skills and to get a sense of what working in a multicultural office is like. I was also able to practice speaking Chinese with my program teammates as well as with the director of the China and Latin America program, who happens to be an HNC alumna!

The crux of my research, however, was a long-term assignment researching 'land grabs' and investments in the agricultural sector in Latin America. Many food-insecure countries, like South Korea, Japan, China, India, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, have been securing land in foreign countries for agricultural production or heavily investing in the agricultural sector in other countries to secure food supplies for their domestic populations. Our team focused on Chinese land grabs in Latin America and how China’s involvement mirrored or differed from other land grabbing countries in the region. My Hopkins-Nanjing Center education prepared me to conduct research using Chinese sources and I found that some of the topics covered in the Politics of Rural Development course I took at the Center were applicable to my research project.

Later this fall, the Inter-American Dialogue’s China and Latin America program will present its findings on the land grabs in conjunction with a SAIS professor who has been looking at Chinese land grabs and agriculture investments in Africa.

Moving forward, I’m excited to continue analyzing this topic as well as explore other issues within Sino-Latin America relations at Johns Hopkins SAIS."

Monday, August 5, 2013

Introducing HNC’s New Chinese Proficiency Test!

We are excited to announce that August 1 was the official launch of our new Chinese proficiency test!  We already featured a sneak peek of the STAMP test back in May, but just to review: 

  • It's online!  Applicants outside of the US will no longer need to worry about shipping costs.
  • It's adaptive. The STAMP will test your reading and listening skills but will adjust to your level depending on your answers to previous questions.
  • It's quick. The test takes about two hours and you will receive your score within two business days.  No more waiting several weeks for your test results. 

The HNC Office of International Admissions recommends a score of 1200 if you are applying for the Certificate or Five-Semester Option programs and a 1300 if you are interested in pursuing the MAIS program.  As this will be the first year using this new test, the Admissions Committee will also take other components of your application into consideration when reviewing Chinese proficiency, such as grades in Chinese language classes and recommendations from Chinese language instructors.  Students who intend to have further Chinese language study between taking the test and enrolling in the program should make this clear on the application, as this information can play a role in admissions decisions. 

For more information and to request the STAMP test, please visit the Chinese language page of our website

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Throwback Thursday: The Hopkins-Nanjing Center Outside of Nanjing

The Hopkins-Nanjing Center has operated continuously since 1986, primarily on the downtown campus of Nanjing University.  What many applicants may not realize is that students, faculty, and staff from the 2003-2004 academic year spent the fall semester in a different location.  Any guesses where?


HNC students, faculty, and staff in fall 2003

The Answer: Hawaii!  Due to precautions taken because of SARS, the HNC community spent the fall 2003 semester in Hawaii.  They then returned to Nanjing for the spring semester.

 Check out a previous Throwback Thursday post with pictures comparing the HNC in the 1980s and today.